Denver, USA

Reaktiv Zone: Hi all, may you introduce yourself and ION ?
Ion: Noe (Vox) Joe (Bass/Programming), Gef (Drums), Lex (Guitars) not present and Mat (Guitars) not present.

Reaktiv Zone: Where does the name "ION" come from ?
An atom or a group of atoms that has acquired a net electric charge by gaining or losing one or more electrons.

Reaktiv Zone: What are your main influences and what inspires you in your songs ?
Noe: My main influences range from Timbaland to Jay-Z, Dr. Dre, Johnny Cash, Loretta Lynne, Mos Def, Frank Sinatra.
Joe: Emotion of day to day life and what is to come and what has happened in your life.
Gef: Well, I have a lot of influences that appear at different points within our music. With this project, I have really tried to model a lot of what I do after Wil Calhoun’s (Living Color) approach to modern rock.

Reaktiv Zone: What are your coming projects ?
Noe: Our new full length album. Recording, editing and late nights with booze.
Joe: The new album Q1 2006, video, the movie – “11:59”
Gef: Noe is a funny man…Yes, we are currently working on our sophomore album, as well as a music video, and it looks like Ulrich Wild (Powerman 5000, Rob Zombie), who worked with us on our first album, will be joining us again on the new one.

Reaktiv Zone: What does playing live mean to you?
Noe: Playing live means, whenever I'm on stage, I can express the individuals(s) or parts of me that I hate about myself. That's who I am on stage.
Joe: A chance to show our friends and fans what we can do and what we have to offer visually outside our album.
Gef: Live shows create a different enviornment and evoke a different vibe than studio. Live, due to the nature of the beast, has an “anything goes” characteristic. It’s raw, energetic and powerful, and often times spontaneous. It is within this realm that we live. This is the only time when all of us as individuals unite, leave the baggage at the door, and allow ourselves to escape by creating our own reality on stage.

Reaktiv Zone: What about those pics from the Red Rocks ? What was the occasion ?
Noe: The occasion was more than anything, I think, it's a huge dream for a lot of people to be able to play Red Rocks; and celebrating and accomplishing that goal for me was big.
Gef: Red Rocks, as many artists have stated in the past, has got to be one of the best venues in the world to play. We are lucky that not only is it in our “backyard”, but that we had the honor and priviledge to perform on the same stage as many of our great artists before us. There is definitely a unique vibe being up on that stage.

Reaktiv Zone: Talking about concerts, what are you coming shows ?
Noe: We have, if you will, a "feeler" show for our new additions to Ion; new members and music-October 8th at the Toad Tavern. After that it's to full production.

Reaktiv Zone: What are your best and worst concert souvenirs ?
Noe: Pictures from fans more than anything.
Gef: Hmmm… probably a scar on two knuckles of my left hand. Can’t remember the show, but towards the end of the set, I was getting a little excited and aggro behind the drums, went to hit the cymbals, missed with the sticks – but connected with the knuckles. I bled everywhere. However, the good souvenirs would have to be all of the memories, fans, and interesting people I have met through my experiences.

Reaktiv Zone: If you had some advices to give to some people starting a new band, what would they be ?
Noe: Be yourself and don't get a big head
Joe: FIND SERIOUS MEMBERS! NO FLAKES OR "HIM-HAWERS"
Gef: Make sure you know what you are “in this” for. Fame and fortune, probably shouldn’t be your primary goal. For those who “really” know, they would say the same.

Reaktiv Zone: What's your impression of the rock scene in the Denver area ? There seems to be a lot of promissing bands out there.
Noe: I think Denver has a lot of great music, but it's hard to get past just the local and regional scene. There are so many people in Denver who could be huge, but most companies/promotors don't really take time to give it what it's worth.
Joe: Lots of good bands, a lot of bands that need development to be great.
Gef: With the exception of a few “good” people, I just see a lot of ego and not enough genuine interest or consistency in support from those who can make or break this scene. 

Reaktiv Zone: What about the media and especially the radio stations ? Do you think they do their job for promoting local bands ? I'm thinking of Uncle Nasty from KBPI who's a local figure.
Noe: Uncle Nasty has always backed up Ion and local music from way back when I could remember. He's always backed up local bands more than any other DJ in Denver. KBPI, KTCL and The Mountain are the only radio stations who back up local bands.
Joe: Nasty has been great and supportive and has done what he can for us and many other denver bands for what he can working at clear channel. it helps since he himself is a musican.
Gef: I would have to agree with Noe. I’m basing my opinion, however, on this: I understand, that often times, DJ’s can only do so much – due to limitations from “the man”. However, there are DJ’s, and stations alike, in other markets that have figured out a way to support their local talents, rather than make excuses on why they can’t. I do also have to point out that Alf, Nerf and crew at KTCL, really have done a magnificent job this past year – pushing the local scene with concert calendars, postings on their website, music surveys, and showing some effort to be MORE active in the community.

Reaktiv Zone: Anything to wish ?
Noe: I wish that more people supported local music around Colorado.
Joe: I wish I was independently wealthy so I could support my bandmates and work on music all week long!
Gef: I wish that Judge Lance Ito was back on the bench…AND for a safe, and quick return home for all of our soldiers fighting overseas; for what I can tell, is a ridiculous cause.

Reaktiv Zone: Anything to add ?
Noe: I'm in it for the long haul, and enjoy the drive and discipline of being in a band.
Gef: I really enjoy this project. I enjoy working and creating with these blokes. I really hope that the rest of the world gets an opportunity to be exposed to ION, and gets the same feeling we get every time we perform our music. Music is a powerful and rewarding instrument of communication, and I can’t imagine doing or being anything else.

27/09/05